This Sunday, May 18

Dr. Ken Diehm speaking on Matthew 6:24-34

Worship at:

8:50 AM - Traditional Communion Service in Founders Chapel

9:00 AM - Contemporary Worship in the Sanctuary 

10:10 AM - Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary

11:15 AM - Blended Worship in the Sanctuary
more info on worship

Sunday School at 10:05 AM:  children | youth | adults

This Sunday:  Ministry Focus - Blankets of Hope | Newcomers Connection | Prayer Team Meeting

Main Street Days 

Main Street Days is coming up on May 16-18. Troop 700 and the FUMC Youth Group will be manning the church's parking lots during the Main Street Days weekend. The scout troop will be manning the lot on Church Street and around the Sanctuaries while the Youth Group will be manning the lower lots along Scribner Street Friday afternoon and Saturday. We will be putting up barricades Thursday night, or early Friday morning to help control the parking Friday morning. We ask for your patience and understanding on Friday as we will be doing our best to keep the parking lots available for all church activities during the day and still provide paid parking for festival goers. The Senior Citizen's Parking areas and the Wilhoitte's Lot may not be available for church parking on Sunday. We will do our very best to ensure that the church's parking lots are used only by those attending church until after the 11:15 AM service. With the loss of the parking lot along Northwest Highway (old Elliott's Parking Lot) due to construction, we anticipate the church parking lots will be in greater demand than ever before.

Ministry Focus:  Blankets of Hope

This Sunday, May 18, our ministry focus will be on Blankets of Hope. The Blankets of Hope Ministry started with two people that wanted to bless the lives of individuals who were undergoing treatment for substance abuse. Many volunteers stepped forward to help create blankets that were handmade and bathed in prayer. The blankets were delivered to the residents of Valley Hope, a substance abuse treatment facility here in Grapevine. The facility has 68 residents at any given time, ranging in age from 18 to 80. The response to this ministry has been phenomenal! One of the “angels” that helped deliver blankets recently shared his experience: “Some cried, including me, some looked confused and asked, ‘There’s someone out there that doesn’t even know me, and cares this much about me!?’ All were extremely grateful to receive such a gift and some seemed just happy to get a hug! God is good! I am very blessed!”

The turnover of new residents at Valley Hope is so great that there is a never-ending need in order to continue to make more “blankets of hope.”  Presently, our greatest need is that of fleece fabric. We ask for pieces no smaller than 58-60 inches (the standard width of the fabric) by 36 inches (it’s important for the recipients that the blankets are of consistent size), and each blanket consists of two layers: one layer of solid fabric and one layer of print. But we also have a variety of other needs. While some donate fabric, others sew, some cut fringe, some take part in every step and everyone prays for the recipient as they do their part. The time commitment is up to you.

If you would like more information or if you desire to be a part of this ministry, please contact the church office (817-481-2559). Fleece donations can be dropped off at the office from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM weekdays as well as Sunday morning, during worship hours. 

Newcomers Connection

Prayer Team Meeting

Our next Prayer Team Meeting will be Sunday, May 18, at 4:00 p.m. in The Heritage House. We will come together for prayer, fellowship and to discuss upcoming events. Rev. Rick Mang will also be providing a special "confidentiality training" so please plan to be there!

Blessing of the Pets

Gather up your furry (and not-so-furry) friends and bring them to the Blessing of the Pets on Sunday May 25, at 3:00 PM at the church playground/lawn. The Blessing of the Pets is a time when people stop to thank God for the animals in their care and for the care of animals that serve humankind. Rev. Nathan Firmin will lead this special service of blessing from the United Methodist Book of Worship in which we give witness to the love, care, and concern for God’s creation. This is a service that has a special appeal to children and we hope parents will help them attend. Last year, cats, dogs, lizards, snakes and spiders were blessed. The service is held outdoors so that even large animals like horses can attend. A reception featuring treats for people and pets will follow. All types of pet are welcome. For more information call Nathan Firmin at 817-481-2559 or email nathanf@fumcg.org.

New Horizon

Musicians Kelly and Glenda Emery will be featured entertainers for New Horizon's final dinner meeting of the season on Tuesday, May 27, at 6:30 PM in Leach Hall. The Emerys, one of the most requested programs, are local residents. Kelly grew up in Grapevine and has been in the construction business for many years. Their program will be a showcase of their singing and piano talents from pop to sacred and classics, and from gospel to opera. With Kelly's voice as big as Texas while as tender as a teardrop and with Glenda's accompaniment, they will inspire their listeners, lift their hearts, and touch their souls.

New Horizons is open to anyone in the "over fifty" category. The cost of the evening is $10 per person, including a catered dinner and entertainment. Reservations must be made by noon, Monday, May 26, by calling: Bobbie Cherry 817-481-3626, Beverly Hinze 817-488-1232, or Mary Spangler 817-722-8436.

Volunteers Needed for July Event

Lights for Kenya

We are off to a great start with our fundraising effort! Over the past two Sundays, we have raised almost $7,100 which translates into 450 flashlights purchased and shipped directly to Bishop William. Just a few days ago, we sent Bishop William an e-mail about our flashlight fundraising effort and here was his response:

“Thanks for your support and for the many projects the Methodist Church of Grapevine is supporting here. The solar flashlight l carried from Texas is helping me alot. We hope when they come will be of great help to our people to have light at their homes. We will distribute to the missionaries and to lay preachers who are not able to support themselves. We will also give to pastors where there is no electricity, any kind of help we can give to the side of KRA we are ready. This should be treated as a donation to help the missionary work and the poor. Thanks for those who are willing to share the light with us. May God Bless you, William.”

In his e-mail, Bishop William mentioned the KRA - the Kenya Revenue Authority. This is a key government import / customs agency. However, SunNight Solar has suggested a shipping / logistics agency that will ship the flashlights ‘door-to-door’ for a cost of approximately $2.00 per flashlight (assuming 500 shipped flashlights). This cost includes EVERYTHING, including all customs paperwork. To keep these costs this low, part of the travel is by sea which means it will take approximately 60 days to travel from the factory to Meru, Kenya.

There is still time to purchase one of these flashlights for our friends in Kenya. Any donation amount will be accepted, but for less than $20 you fund one of these flashlights. You can put your money in an envelope and mark on the outside "Lights for Kenya" or you can make your check out to the church and write “Lights for Kenya” in the memo area.

For more information, go to the church website or contact Hal O’Brien (heobrien@msn.com). He’s the one carrying around the orange solar-powered flashlight.

Tax Rebate Tithe for Tots

Many of you have already received a tax rebate check in the mail and have given your "Tithe for Tots"! It is designed to stimulate the economy, and that is exactly what we have used it for!  So far, our missions team has spent $371 purchasing needed items for children at Timberline Elementary. We now have a team of "Shoppers for Jesus" in place to fill needs in our community by spending the "Tithes for Tots" monies. 

When your rebate check comes in, remember to give 10% to the church and we'll take that resource and use it to meet the needs of children in our community. Please make a note on your gifts, “Tithe for Tots”, so we will know where to direct these funds.

Make a Difference by Reading! 

This week's ministry focus in worship will be Project Read.  Project Read reaches out to the children of our community through reading. There are several ways for you to get involved right now!

• Project Read at GCISD Summer School—Read one-on-one with a struggling reader at Glen Hope Elementary for 30 minutes to 1 hour on Monday through Friday mornings, June 9-July 2. We can schedule you for a time which is convenient for you, and we can also schedule around your vacation or other obligations. Training provided, background check required.

• Project Read at Feed Our Kids Sites—Give away gently used children’s books and read to children at the feeding sites (local apartment complexes and trailer parks) on Tuesdays throughout the summer; from 11:30 a.m.- 1 p.m. We will assign you to site, give you a partner and can schedule you according to your availability. 

• Project Read After School Program—A steering committee has been formed to launch a one-day-a-week after school reading/craft/snack program for neighborhood children on Mondays beginning in the fall. We need volunteers willing to work with the children, plan logistics and help with snacks and crafts. Let us know if you are interested in learning more! 

If you would like to volunteer for one of these areas, please sign up on Check-In. For more information about Project Read, visit our website.

Kenya Mission Team Preparations

The Kenya Mission Team for 2008 continues to plan and prepare for our church mission trip June 26-July 10. Our team of eleven members is made up of 6 men and 5 women: Linda Armbruster, Donna Chabot, Jenni Crater, Kim Crater, Ken Diehm, Jim Garvin, Carol Howe, Mark Howe, Dick Mally, Jeff Murphy, and Steve Palla.

Leading the way for this mission trip will be Matt Howe, son of Carol and Mark Howe. Matt will leave for Kenya and the town of Meru on May 17, and will return on June 18. Matt has participated in many youth mission trips with our church. He is a college student at Texas A&M University. He will spend a month assisting and sharing Jesus Christ with the people of Meru. Matt's Mom, Carol Howe says, "Matt is wide open for anything. He has always loved the mission trips our youth go on and always comes back filled spiritually. I asked him why he was so persistent to go by himself to Kenya. He said he wants God to stretch him farther than he has ever been stretched and rely only on Him." The Kenya Mission Team for June 26-July 10, is blessed to have Matt's "light" leading our way.

Please keep Matt and the rest of the mission team in your prayers as they prepare to minister in Kenya.

Missionary Updates